BAKER, Calif. — The World’s Tallest Thermometer in Baker, Calif. was my final stop on my summer road trip series. It is a landmark at the half-way point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas along the Interstate 15 corridor.
The thermometer stands 134 feet tall and has a maximum temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit. Ironically, that is the record temperature for the world’s hottest day which occurred on July 10, 1913 in nearby Death Valley, Calif.
Salt Lake City’s Young Electric Sign Co. built the thermometer back in 1991. It was the idea of local businessman Willis Herron. He paid $750,000 for the construction of the giant landmark.
However, things took a turn for the worst when Herron died in 2007. The thermometer was sold to a new owner. Then, it was turned off in 2012 due to its high electric bill and the downturn of the economy.
The Herron family regained control of the sign and it was re-lit on July 10, 2014. That happened on the 101st anniversary on the world’s hottest day. Each year, a “thermometer day” is held to commemorate the sign being re-lit.
In addition to the tall thermometer is a gift shop with t-shirts, hats and miniature replicas of the landmark. The town of Baker also features gas stations, restaurants and more. There are 40 Tesla charging stations just south of the sign and four DC fast charging stations adjacent to it.
Visit the World’s Tallest Thermometer at 72157 Baker Blvd, Baker, CA 92309. For more information, visit http://www.worldstallestthermometer.com/ or their Facebook page.
